How stress affects your body - Sharon Horesh Bergquist
Summary
TLDRThis script explores how stress, a natural response to challenges, can harm the body when chronic. It discusses the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can lead to hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart issues. Stress also impacts digestion, immune function, and can even affect weight and mental health, emphasizing the importance of managing stress for overall well-being.
Takeaways
- π§ Stress is a physical response that affects the entire body, not just an emotion.
- πββοΈ Short-term stress can be beneficial, but chronic activation can damage organs and cells.
- π¨ The fight or flight response releases hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, impacting heart and blood pressure.
- π©Έ High cortisol levels can contribute to atherosclerosis and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
- π§ Stress activates the autonomic nervous system, affecting the brain-gut connection and digestive health.
- π½οΈ Chronic stress can alter gut bacteria composition and function, impacting overall health.
- π° Cortisol can increase appetite and lead to cravings for energy-dense foods, contributing to weight gain.
- π Visceral fat, associated with stress, is linked to the release of hormones that increase the risk of chronic diseases.
- π‘οΈ Stress hormones initially boost immune function but can suppress it over time, making one more prone to infections.
- 𧬠Chronic stress is associated with shortened telomeres, which can impact cell aging and lifespan.
- π€― Stress can lead to a range of health issues including acne, hair loss, sexual dysfunction, headaches, and irritability.
- πͺ How you perceive and respond to stress is crucial for both short-term performance and long-term health.
Q & A
What is stress and how does it affect the body?
-Stress is a feeling experienced when challenged or overwhelmed, and it is also a physical response that affects the entire body. It can be advantageous in the short term but can damage organs and cells when activated too often or for too long.
What are the stress hormones released by the adrenal gland?
-The adrenal gland releases cortisol, epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and norepinephrine. These hormones travel through the bloodstream and can affect various parts of the body.
How does adrenaline affect the heart and blood pressure?
-Adrenaline causes the heart to beat faster and raises blood pressure, potentially leading to hypertension over time.
What is the role of cortisol in the development of atherosclerosis?
-Cortisol can cause the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels, to not function normally, which is an early step in triggering the process of atherosclerosis, or cholesterol plaque build-up in arteries.
How does stress affect the brain and the autonomic nervous system?
-When the brain senses stress, it activates the autonomic nervous system, which communicates stress to the enteric, or intestinal, nervous system, potentially causing issues like irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn.
Can chronic stress affect a person's waistline?
-Yes, chronic stress can affect the waistline. Cortisol can increase appetite and cause cravings for energy-dense foods and carbs, leading to weight gain, especially as visceral or deep belly fat.
What are the potential health risks associated with visceral fat?
-Visceral fat is an organ that releases hormones and immune system chemicals called cytokines, which can increase the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and insulin resistance.
How do stress hormones affect the immune system?
-Stress hormones initially help prepare the body to fight invaders and heal after injury, but chronic stress can dampen the function of some immune cells, making a person more susceptible to infections and slowing the rate of healing.
Is there a connection between chronic stress and lifespan?
-Chronic stress has been associated with shortened telomeres, which measure a cell's age. When telomeres become too short, a cell can no longer divide and dies, potentially affecting lifespan.
What are some additional health issues that chronic stress can cause?
-Chronic stress can lead to acne, hair loss, sexual dysfunction, headaches, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and irritability.
How can one manage stress to improve both short-term performance and long-term health?
-Viewing stressful situations as challenges that can be controlled and mastered, rather than as insurmountable threats, can help improve performance in the short run and maintain health in the long run.
Outlines
π¨ Stress: The Body's Response and Its Effects
This paragraph discusses the concept of stress, highlighting it as a common emotional and physical response to challenges or being overwhelmed. It explains how stress is not just an emotion but a physical response that can affect the entire body. The paragraph delves into the short-term benefits of stress and its long-term detrimental effects, particularly on the brain and other organs. It details the release of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine by the adrenal gland and their impact on the cardiovascular system, potentially leading to hypertension and atherosclerosis. The paragraph also explores the brain-gut connection and how stress can disrupt gut health, leading to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and increased heartburn. Additionally, it touches on the influence of stress on digestion, appetite, and body weight, particularly the accumulation of visceral fat, which is linked to chronic diseases.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Stress
π‘Fight or Flight Response
π‘Adrenal Gland
π‘Cortisol
π‘Epinephrine
π‘Atherosclerosis
π‘Autonomic Nervous System
π‘Enteric Nervous System
π‘Gut Bacteria
π‘Visceral Fat
π‘Telomeres
Highlights
Stress is a hardwired physical response that affects the entire body.
Short-term stress can be advantageous, but chronic stress has detrimental effects on health.
Adrenal glands release stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
Stress hormones can cause hypertension and contribute to atherosclerosis.
The brain-gut connection can lead to irritable bowel syndrome and increased heartburn sensitivity.
Stress can alter gut bacteria composition and function, impacting overall health.
Chronic stress can increase appetite and lead to weight gain, especially visceral fat.
Visceral fat is an active organ that releases hormones increasing the risk of chronic diseases.
Stress hormones initially boost immune function but can impair it with chronic stress, increasing susceptibility to infections.
Chronic stress has been linked to shortened telomeres, which can impact cell aging and lifespan.
Stress can manifest in various health issues including acne, hair loss, sexual dysfunction, headaches, and more.
How an individual responds to stress is crucial for both short-term performance and long-term health.
Viewing stressful situations as controllable challenges can improve outcomes and maintain health.
Stress management is key to mitigating its negative impacts on physical and mental well-being.
Understanding the physiological effects of stress can inform strategies for better health and longevity.
The transcript emphasizes the importance of stress as a multifaceted health factor requiring proactive management.
Transcripts
Cramming for a test?
Trying to get more done than you have time to do?
Stress is a feeling we all experience when we are challenged or overwhelmed.
But more than just an emotion,
stress is a hardwired physical response that travels throughout your entire body.
In the short term, stress can be advantageous,
but when activated too often or too long,
your primitive fight or flight stress response
not only changes your brain
but also damages many of the other organs and cells throughout your body.
Your adrenal gland releases the stress hormones
cortisol, epinephrine, also known as adrenaline,
and norepinephrine.
As these hormones travel through your blood stream,
they easily reach your blood vessels and heart.
Adrenaline causes your heart to beat faster
and raises your blood pressure, over time causing hypertension.
Cortisol can also cause the endothelium, or inner lining of blood vessels,
to not function normally.
Scientists now know that this is an early step
in triggering the process of atherosclerosis
or cholesterol plaque build up in your arteries.
Together, these changes increase your chances of a heart attack or stroke.
When your brain senses stress,
it activates your autonomic nervous system.
Through this network of nerve connections,
your big brain communicates stress to your enteric,
or intestinal nervous system.
Besides causing butterflies in your stomach,
this brain-gut connection can disturb the natural rhythmic contractions
that move food through your gut,
leading to irritable bowel syndrome,
and can increase your gut sensitivity to acid,
making you more likely to feel heartburn.
Via the gut's nervous system,
stress can also change the composition and function of your gut bacteria,
which may affect your digestive and overall health.
Speaking of digestion, does chronic stress affect your waistline?
Well, yes.
Cortisol can increase your appetite.
It tells your body to replenish your energy stores
with energy dense foods and carbs, causing you to crave comfort foods.
High levels of cortisol can also cause you to put on those extra calories
as visceral or deep belly fat.
This type of fat doesn't just make it harder to button your pants.
It is an organ that actively releases hormones
and immune system chemicals called cytokines
that can increase your risk of developing chronic diseases,
such as heart disease and insulin resistance.
Meanwhile, stress hormones affect immune cells in a variety of ways.
Initially, they help prepare to fight invaders and heal after injury,
but chronic stress can dampen function of some immune cells,
make you more susceptible to infections, and slow the rate you heal.
Want to live a long life?
You may have to curb your chronic stress.
That's because it has even been associated with shortened telomeres,
the shoelace tip ends of chromosomes that measure a cell's age.
Telomeres cap chromosomes
to allow DNA to get copied every time a cell divides
without damaging the cell's genetic code,
and they shorten with each cell division.
When telomeres become too short, a cell can no longer divide and it dies.
As if all that weren't enough,
chronic stress has even more ways it can sabotage your health,
including acne,
hair loss,
sexual dysfunction,
headaches,
muscle tension,
difficulty concentrating,
fatigue,
and irritability.
So, what does all this mean for you?
Your life will always be filled with stressful situations.
But what matters to your brain and entire body
is how you respond to that stress.
If you can view those situations as challenges you can control and master,
rather than as threats that are insurmountable,
you will perform better in the short run and stay healthy in the long run.
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